Internet web pages, online information, and media content such as audio, video, photographs, and the like are requested and delivered to end users via computer network systems. Requests for the content are sent over the network to a source server, processed, and the content is delivered to the end user via the network. The source server can include origin or hosting servers which originally host the network content. Unfortunately, a single source server may not be able to serve a large number of concurrent requests for content. In addition, the requesting server may be distant geographically or network routing-wise from the source server. This can slow the process of delivering content to the point where users are dissatisfied, or abandon the request for content.
To address this problem, content delivery networks were developed. Content delivery networks cache content from a source server (a.k.a. origin server) for more rapid and reliable delivery to end users. A content delivery network may have many content nodes (up to thousands) distributed across a large geographic area (or network routing area) in order to provide faster, lower latency, and more reliable access to content for the end users, regardless of their geographic or network location.
The content delivery process begins with a user submitting a request to a browser. When a user enters a uniform resource locator (URL), a domain name system (DNS) request is triggered and an IP address is retrieved. In a content delivery network structure, the domain name of the URL is translated by a mapping system into the IP address of content server, which can have the content cached locally, to serve the content to the user. If the content is cached by the content server, the content server can directly service the end user's request. If the content is not cached in the content server, or the content from the origin server is out-of-date or stale, the content server can receive the content from the origin server and cache it. Once cached, the content server can typically provide the content quickly.
An origin server, however, may be the subject of a malicious attack. If, while under attack, the origin server is unable to provide the content to the content server, many of the advantages and functions of content delivery network can be disrupted.
Overview
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and software for ensuring delivery of content from an origin server to a content delivery network are disclosed herein. In one example, a method of protecting an origin server website from attack is disclosed. The method includes providing a content delivery network (CDN) having a set of content servers (CS) to provide content delivery on behalf of a set of participating content providers. The at least one of the set of content providers source content for delivery by the CDN from an origin server. A privatized link between at least one of the set of content servers and the origin server is provided.
In another example, a communication system includes a content delivery network (CDN) having a set of content servers (CS) to provide content delivery on behalf of a set of participating content providers. At least one of the set of content providers is to source content for delivery by the CDN from an origin server. The communication system also includes a privatized link between at least one of the set of content servers and the origin server.
In another example, a method of supplying content to a content delivery network (CDN) includes establishing a communication link between an origin server and a CDN using a first IP address for the origin server. The origin server is to provide content to the CDN by responding to requests from the CDN directed to the first IP address. The method also includes determining that the first IP address is under attack. The method also includes, in response to determining the first IP address is under attack, selecting a second IP address to be associated with the origin server. The method also includes establishing a communication link between the origin server and the CDN using the second IP address for the origin server. The origin server is now to provide content to the CDN by responding to requests from the CDN directed to the second IP address.